The Sunset Trail is located in Peninsula State Park just north of Fish Creek, WI. State Park fees apply in the form of a vehicle admission sticker, however there is no additional trail fee for riding Sunset Trail. There are mountain bike trails that do require a trail pass. A parking lot specific for those biking is located near the main entrance to the park and provides immediate access to the trail.

The trail is mainly crushed gravel, with some paved portions. It is designed for single file travel. Trikes and bicycles can pass easily in most portions. It would be a tight squeeze (but possible) for trikes to pass one another.

The route we rode through the park ended up being just shy of 10 miles long. There are views of Green Bay (the body of water, not the city), however most of the trail is through a forest canopy. Stops can be made throughout the route at restrooms in the park.

Peninsula State Park can be very busy and the trail crowded. I'd recommend riding in the morning on a weekday to try to avoid the crowds. This is a nice trail, however there are other routes in Door County that offer paved roads with less congestion and traffic.

Make sure to stop by the park entrance headquarters and pick up a park map. The map details the Sunset Trail, roads and other attractions within the park. Note: if you need a sink with running water and flushable toilets, go inside the headquarters building! ​

A great 14-mile ride in Door County, WI starts in Ellison Bay, travels to Gills Rock, heads down to Newport State Park, then returns to Ellison Bay. (This is "Ride 20" in Biking Wisconsin by Steve Johnson. Check out the recommended reading page for details on this book).

You can also add a side trip to the ferry to Washington Island. The island provides some low-traveled roads good for biking, however there isn't too much traffic in this area when you aren't on STH 42. If you haven't been to Washington Island, it can offer a nice break on the ferry ride with the novelty of the island. However, you can save yourself the expense and find plenty of other places to ride in Door County with minimal traffic and great views.

Bayfield, WI sits on the picturesque shores of Lake Superior. A small town with a population of under 500 people, it is a beautiful place to visit, relax, and escape.

Known for its annual Apple Festival in the Fall, apple orchards, the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, bed and breakfasts, and quaint shops, it is a destination that will keep you engaged while letting you escape and relax.

For a challenging ride that goes through the heart of berry fields and apple orchards, park downtown by the ferry docks and ride STH 13 south through town. Then travel to CTH J, which goes west. CTH J will take you back north through the orchards. Stop and enjoy the fruit stands and follow CTH J as it climbs through the hills. Eventually, it will plummet downhill, dropping you back onto STH 13 north of the ferry landing. (See the information below on Madeline Island, WI regarding where the ferry will take you). This was ride #19 in Greg Marr's book Short Bike Rides Wisconsin, see recommended reading for book details.

This particular ride will give a workout to those not used to climbing hills. The vistas of Lake Superior from atop the hills can be breathtaking.

Similar to the saying, "the best camera to take a picture with is the camera you have with you," is the best place to ride is where ever you are. If you wait for the perfect weather, time, or place you'll probably rarely get out on your bike. That's why it's important to make a commitment to get outside and get pedaling.

I have found that I really enjoy riding the back roads in Wisconsin. Roads that cars have long forgotten make for some of the most scenic and tranquil of rides.

We've also become spoiled with riding on paved surfaces. There's nothing like a smooth swath of concrete or asphalt to pave the way. Compared to some of the crushed stone recreation trails, I'll take the speed and ease of a rural road any day.

The Oshkosh Cycling Club has a helpful map of their group rides. Which of course can be ridden any time. Checking for cycling clubs in an area you'd like to ride might help you find some of the more interesting (and safer) places that see local bike traffic.

Bike Wisconsin organizes a fully supported tour called the Great Annual Bicycle Adventure Along the Wisconsin River. It's a 400+ mile ride over the course of a week.

This year Becky, my wife, rode the GRABAAWR after winning free registration in a drawing. She pounded out 405 miles in her first tour! Of course, she rode her tadpole the whole way. She was one of only a handful of recumbent riders in the tour, and even fewer trike riders.

Chris Woodyard of USA TODAY took the above photo and wrote an article about this year's event. Make sure to click through the photos in the article, and you'll see Becky made the national stage.

She swears she skipped the organized ice cream social, but the camera caught her grabbing some ice cream along the way!

Speaking of safety the other day, the importance of a well placed mirror can not be overstated. It's important to keep an eye on traffic - what's coming up behind you just as much as what is coming towards you.

When climbing a hill, you have to pre-plan and think like the driver of a car. If a car comes up from behind you, how will they react if they meet an oncoming vehicle? Likewise, if you've just crested a hill and are descending, drivers from behind will have less reaction time to realize you are there when they crest the hill right behind you.

Having (and using!) a mirror will assist you in knowing what vehicles are around. With a little bit of consideration, you can make your ride safer for you and the drivers around you.

There haven't been a lot of new posts around these parts lately. That's what happens when you're busy hitting the open road.

I get a lot of the same types of questions about riding a recumbent tadpole trike and there's no place like this blog to try to answer some of them.

One of the common themes is safety while riding on roads. Questions like the following are common:

Your bike sits low to the ground, do cars see you?

Your bike is wide, do cars give you enough clearance?

I have found that drivers don't seem to have too much of a problem seeing us. First, there's probably the "what is that?" look. Drivers actually seem to slow down and gawk due to the uniqueness of the bike. And while trikes are wider than a two-wheeled bike, I find that drivers actually give us more clearance as they go around us than when we're on a two-wheeler.

When it comes to safety, no one is going to look out for you more than you! Don't assume drivers see you, anticipate issues, look for escape routes, and be smart! You can ride smartly by always wearing a helmet, bright or reflective clothing, using lights and flashing LEDs to your advantage, using a mirror, and flying a safety flag. In addition - choose your route carefully and factor in traffic volume, time of day, the condition of the road (wide shoulders, potholes, etc). A road that is lightly traveled during the day, may be a racetrack during the morning and evening commutes.

The attached photo was taken for aesthetic purposes (the risks of writing a blog!) on a slow stretch of road. But realistically you'll be hugging the shoulder most of the time and monitoring traffic traveling in both directions.

I don't think that safety on the road is a recumbent/non-recumbent issue. It's about what type of rider you are and if you are proactively taking steps to minimize risk. Those are choices you'll have to make no matter how many wheels you ride!

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